My advice: don't modify your car if you expect any trouble it might cause to be covered by the BMW warranty. I'm not saying you won't get away with it. It's just dishonest and eventually ends up going back into the price BMW charges for their cars and servicing. On the other hand, the warranty would still validly cover anything which fails that has no relationship to the modified components.

The short answer is yes. A car blew an engine with computer mods while in TAS. Dealer had one look and said no.

Statements like this are misleading and are completely false, that car had an internal issue. It came back as owner wanted it back. Surprises me that a statement like "computer mods" would be made from you. It had nothing to do with computer or mods, it had an engine internal fault and there have been others replaced here for the same fault.

Regardless, Way couldn't get warranty on his pistons in his calipers as his is a track car. The car is clearly a track car and there was no real intention of seeking warranty only as a safety precaution for Aust owners. No-one would expect warranty to pick up any drivetrain on that car. Electric windows, Airbags, electronics, interior, fuel pumps, injectors etc would all still be covered.

If you wish to modify your car, be big about it, fess up, if you have an issue, most of the time it has nothing to do with the mods anyway, it has a lot to do with your relationship with your dealer as well. I get calls from Australia wide dealers every day regarding these cars and 335i's

There is many instances of fuel pumps, injectors, coils, engines, turbo's, camshafts, etc etc, you have to expect things will fail on stock cars let alone modded cars. You guys are going to have more problems with carbon build up than worry about whether or not to modify. You all are getting closer to the kilometeres that they will be failing anyway.

The warranty will be void only if the after market part installed caused the BMW part to fail.

If you put tint on the window and your radio starts getting interference, you cannot expect BMW to foot the bill.

But if you have an aftermarket intercooler on your car and your Airbag fails then you'll get your airbag fixed under warranty.

Fuel pumps are the big thing at the moment. Fuel pumps are a massive issue world wide and they will get replaced, regardless what mods you have.

Another example, we installed a supercharger with methanol, NOS spray bar, 20in wheels, full catless exhaust, BBK, but he still got his Nav fixed under warranty when it failed.

end of rant.......i just get asked this so many times a day it surprises me. Pay to play.

If a car has a piggy-back or a remap, and something mechanical in or close to the engine fails, for example fuel injectors, cam bearing, piston cracks, turbo gives out, cracked head, etc.... Not a wheel bearing, or the sunroof motor, or a faded leather seat.

Doesn't the chipping / remap give BMW grounds to debate the matter.

My concern is, they have much more technical expertise than most of us, and deeper pockets to defend their position.

In the end, can they simply say - you uprated the cars power and torque beyond spec. That has put additional stress on the engine and related components. That's why they failed. So sorry - no warranty.

Then we mere mortals have to choose to either accept that, or fight it with vastly inferior resources than BMW.

This is where Andrew is right to say that you have to pay to play. It's no different to taking your car to the track or race your car. If BMW finds out, they can refuse to warrant your claim as it say so on the warranty book (or at least in M cars it does).

And yes, I should clarify as Andrew said that although my car was denied warranty, it was done so more to alert BMW of the issue than to get it replaced. I really had nothing to gain from it as I was already preparing to fit a BBK anyway. All it did was brought that process forward a little. But my car is clearly a track car underneath so it is hard to argue otherwise!

Quote:

Originally Posted by bfi2906

Andrew - a question????

If a car has a piggy-back or a remap, and something mechanical in or close to the engine fails, for example fuel injectors, cam bearing, piston cracks, turbo gives out, cracked head, etc.... Not a wheel bearing, or the sunroof motor, or a faded leather seat.

Doesn't the chipping / remap give BMW grounds to debate the matter.

My concern is, they have much more technical expertise than most of us, and deeper pockets to defend their position.

In the end, can they simply say - you uprated the cars power and torque beyond spec. That has put additional stress on the engine and related components. That's why they failed. So sorry - no warranty.

Then we mere mortals have to choose to either accept that, or fight it with vastly inferior resources than BMW.

"It's no different to taking your car to the track or race your car. If BMW finds out, they can refuse to warrant your claim as it say so on the warranty book (or at least in M cars it does).

One of the reasons I bought this car and not others is because the salesman assured me that I would have no issues whatsoever with warranty by taking my car to the track. Not that I ever intended to race but it was certainly made clear to the dealership that I wanted it to be able to do track days and some autokhana type events with this car and I was told that is exactly what the car is intended for. Should I be avoiding this type of activity if I want to preserve my warranty? I still have my bikes to take to the track but I was really looking forward to using this car without the fear of voiding my warranty.

One of the reasons I bought this car and not others is because the salesman assured me that I would have no issues whatsoever with warranty by taking my car to the track.

This is amazing! Once your car hits the track your insurance company will not cover you if you have an accident/problem. I find it extremely hard that BMW will say "no worries."

I'm not doubting your word but if the salesman said that he should have his nurries chopped off - it sounds like a blatant attempt to get you to sign on the dotted line no matter what.

Of course I stand to be corrected. If indeed BMW have no problems with us tracking cars, I'll see you at the track where I will thrash my M3 to within an inch of its life.... because BMW will cover it!

This is amazing! Once your car hits the track your insurance company will not cover you if you have an accident/problem. I find it extremely hard that BMW will say "no worries."

I'm not doubting your word but if the salesman said that he should have his nurries chopped off - it sounds like a blatant attempt to get you to sign on the dotted line no matter what.

Of course I stand to be corrected. If indeed BMW have no problems with us tracking cars, I'll see you at the track where I will thrash my M3 to within an inch of its life.... because BMW will cover it!

+1
amk2912, I think the salesman has pulled the wool over your eyes buddy.

Not at the same rate as the USA, but car v's population, you can understand why. One of my customers cars was done last week, and a few dealers here have them in stock. I'll be getting a faulty one soon to check it over and pull it apart, have a look see.

I think warranty claim is a business decision. I have had experience that one dealer are unwilling to do recall/warranty and my symptoms of my other car is not showing up fully and the other dealer did it without hesitation.

I had a warranty claim with BMW... I stuffed up the electric window after Andrew did something on my car. Totally my fault you see. I went to BMW to get it readjusted (because it is closer Andrew) without charge . Well it cost them 10 mins of labour? hehe.

Not at the same rate as the USA, but car v's population, you can understand why. One of my customers cars was done last week, and a few dealers here have them in stock. I'll be getting a faulty one soon to check it over and pull it apart, have a look see.

Mine went ages ago, they had to order it from Singapore but only took a day or two to get done.

I think a factor is the ethanol content in US fuels, where as here we don't have it mandated yet.

This is amazing! Once your car hits the track your insurance company will not cover you if you have an accident/problem. I find it extremely hard that BMW will say "no worries."

I'm not doubting your word but if the salesman said that he should have his nurries chopped off - it sounds like a blatant attempt to get you to sign on the dotted line no matter what.

Of course I stand to be corrected. If indeed BMW have no problems with us tracking cars, I'll see you at the track where I will thrash my M3 to within an inch of its life.... because BMW will cover it!

I'm not talking about insurance but warranty for warrantable items i.e. manufacturing defects. I know of people who have discovered genuine warrantable faults after taking their cars to the track and "stressing" them beyond what would be considered "normal operating conditions" only to have the claim denied by the manufacturer. I also know people in the same position of discovering warrantable items after a session at the track but whose manufacturers have stepped up and replaced the faulty part. I asked for an assurance that using my car at the track wouldn't void the warranty - and I received one. This seems reasonable to me for a car touted as a performance car. I can, however, understand the warranty being knocked back on the Getz after a hard day at the track.

Having tracked motorcycles on and off for the last 15 years I'm well aware of the lack-of-insurance situation and I'm fine with that but I don't want a driveshaft, for instance, to break and then have BMW say "Well you shouldn't have been driving it that hard..."

On another note - would love to see you at the track as then you could show me around as I've never driven a car on a track before (one of the reasons for buying this one) and I'm sure you'd love to open up that M3's glorious V8...